School Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan (SEMBCP) Guidance December 2011 This guidance is intended to inform the development of your School Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan and should be used alongside the School Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan template. Please note that both the guidance and template are flexible. Your plan should reflect the specifics of your school. Approved by governing body 12/10/16.
Contents Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Introduction What is Emergency Management and Business Continuity Management? What is a School Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan? Plan Administration What is a Grab Bag and what should it contain? Activation Triggers and Initial Action School Emergency Management Team Contact Details Local Authority Support Network Business Continuity Identify and Analyse Functions Identify Critical Functions and Recovery Resources Strategies for Continuity of Services Recovery and Resumption Actions Appendix 1 Sample Log Sheet Appendix 2 Site Information Appendix 3 Evacuation Appendix 4 Rest Centre Useful Websites 2
Introduction The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA) establishes a coherent framework for emergency planning and response ranging from local to national level. It also replaces former Civil Defence and Emergency Powers legislation of the 20th century. Part 1 of the Act places a legal obligation upon emergency services and local authorities (defined as "Category 1 Responders" under the Act) to assess the risk of, plan, and exercise for emergencies, as well as undertaking Business Continuity Management. Category 1 Responders are also responsible for warning and informing the public in relation to emergencies. Finally, local authorities are required to provide business continuity advice to local businesses and organisations. It also places legal obligations for increased co-operation and information sharing between different emergency services and also with nonemergency services that might have a role in an emergency such as utility companies (non-emergency services are defined as Category 2 responders under the Act). Services provided by or via schools are considered to be critical for Kent County Council. Governing Bodies of schools are asked to support and approve a School Emergency Management and Business Continuity plan. In order to assist, a template and supporting guidance have been compiled by the KCC Emergency Planning Officer for Education Learning and Skills. The template may be adopted by schools in its existing format, which will assist in coordinating joint management of an emergency by both the school and the Local Authority. Please also note that the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS), which replaces the Financial Management Standard, includes a section on protecting public money and asks does the school have an appropriate business continuity or disaster recovery plan? For more information please visit The Department of Education website (see page 11). This document should be read in conjunction with the SEMBCP template. 3
What is Emergency Management and Business Continuity Management? Emergency Management and Business Continuity Management are closely related disciplines and share the same response management structures. However: Emergency Management is the ability to respond to an event or situation that threatens the welfare of members of the school community, serious damage to the school environment or the school s security. Business Continuity Management is the ability to respond to disruptive incidents and emergencies by identifying and maintaining the school s critical activities, and returning to business as usual as quickly as possible. What is a School Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan? A School Emergency Management and Business Continuity plan (SEMBCP) provides a school with a framework to manage the impact of the effects of an unexpected emergency/crisis and to identify critical functions to recover as a priority, ensuring the school can deliver key services and meet its statutory obligations. It is vital that a SEMBCP is specific to the school and contains relevant, concise and up to date information that may be needed urgently during an emergency situation. A SEMBCP will be supported by existing emergency response arrangements with Kent County Council (see section on the Local Authority Support Network ) and the emergency services. Please note: you should also have an up to date asset register that is reviewed annually. If you do not, please contact the Schools Financial Services on 0845 365 5368. Plan Administration Hard and electronic versions of the plan should be stored in a number of preidentified locations and these locations shared with relevant personnel. One of these locations should be offsite. The Headteacher and the Governing Body of a school are responsible for annually reviewing the SEMBCP and identifying areas for amendment. The school is responsible for updating relevant sections of the plan and ensuring the most up to date version is shared with relevant personnel. Detail the names of those that need access to plan. 4
What is a Grab Bag and what should it contain? A Grab Bag is any type of bag/holdall that is kept in a convenient place and can be quickly acquired by the Headteacher or other responsible person in the event of an emergency. The bag contains the necessary resources that you may need during an emergency. It is not a legal requirement, but is strongly recommended. It is recommended that the contents of the grab bag are checked once a term and after use. Grab bags should be stored securely but made easily accessible to staff should an incident occur. Consider storing one in the school building (e.g. office, staff room and one outside the main building in case the site becomes inaccessible). Other items impractical to keep within a grab bag (e.g. keys) could be stored elsewhere. It may be useful to add a note within the grab bag to ensure staff do not forget these crucial items when in a hurry. Suggested items for a grab bag: School Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan, first aid kit, torch, batteries, whistle, camera (can be disposable), armbands/high visibility tabards, blankets, gloves, stationary, petty cash and foil blankets. This list is not exhaustive. It may not be suitable to keep all information in your grab bag as it could go out of date very quickly. Assign roles and responsibilities to staff i.e. during an emergency office staff take the following: visitors book, asbestos register, days school attendance registers, parent contact list, list of vulnerable pupils/adults. PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to ensure the above lists are regularly kept up to date. Activation Triggers and Initial Action This diagram sets out a process for when to fully or partially activate the SEMBCP. School Emergency Management Team (SEMT) The lead responsibility for a school s response to an emergency will fall to its own School Emergency Management Team (SEMT). This group will also have the responsibility for invoking and activating the SEMBCP and for making the necessary decisions. This will be chaired by the most senior member of staff 5
available (usually the Headteacher) and will be comprised of a number of staff who are considered most appropriate by the plan owner, along with a list of potential deputies. All members of the SEMT must have a copy of the plan at home and at school and be aware of the all roles and responsibilities (see below) to enable the school to react swiftly and accordingly. The SEMT should record all their decisions and actions (see Appendix 1 of the SEMBCP template) and be available for briefing sessions, handovers and post emergency debriefs. The plan should detail the contact information for each member of the SEMT. School Emergency Management Team Roles and Responsibilities Position in School Headteacher Deputy Headteacher(s) Office Manager/Secretary Site Manager/Caretaker Chair of Governors Role during incident Owner of the plan. Assesses the information to get an overview of the situation. Activates the plan, if necessary. Activates SEMT and designates roles and responsibilities. Request appropriate emergency services. Co-ordinates from the school. Informs and liaises with the Local Authority. Assist Headteacher. Lead staff and pupil welfare arrangements on behalf of the Headteacher. Adopt leader role if Headteacher not available. Support Headteacher and/or Deputy Headteacher. Liaise with emergency services. Contact relevant stakeholders and members of SEMT. Provide all necessary records. Assist Headteacher and/or Deputy Headteacher in providing information for parents. Assist Headteacher and/or Deputy Headteacher. Assist with emergency response on site. Assist with building access, security and/or evacuation. Support Headteacher and/or Deputy Headteacher. 6
Contact Details Include contact details of other stakeholders (catering, cleaning etc) and other organisations such as police, ambulance, Department for Education. Local Authority Support Network In the case of any emergency it is very important that all involved are clear about their roles and responsibilities. This includes ensuring you are clear who to contact within the Local Authority to access support during an emergency. In the case of any emergency within or involving your school it is important that you are able to focus your efforts and attention on the emergency itself. The Local Authority will provide additional support to ensure you are free to do this. (See Local Authority Support Network diagram in the SEMBCP template). The Area Education Officer (AEO) is the key contact during any emergency. You can contact your AEO via the KCC Contact Centre which is supported 24/7 and will always hold an up to date list of AEO contact details. If they are unavailable the Area Schools Organisation Officer (ASOO) or Education Learning and Skills (ELS) Emergency Planning Officer can act as a temporary lead. They can also be contacted via the KCC Contact Centre. The AEO/ASOO will attend the school and liaise directly with the Headteacher. The AEO/ASOO will standby/deploy a support team (as appropriate). This could include a duty Emergency Planning Officer, Educational Psychologist, KCC Press Officer Etc. The AEO/ASOO will be the communication lead for the Directorate and, on behalf of the school, inform relevant officers including the Director/DMT, Press Office, Cabinet Members, Diocese etc. If any of the above can not be contacted via the KCC Contact Centre please call the KCC Duty Emergency Planning Officer who is available 24/7. Business Continuity Business continuity management (BCM) is a process that helps manage risks to the smooth running of an organisation or delivery of a service, ensuring continuity of critical functions in the event of a disruption, and effective recovery afterwards. (Cabinet Office) 7
Any disruption to a service puts pressure on resources and diverts attention away from the normal delivery of services. In most cases this can be managed, by normal management methods, albeit with increased risk, but for how long? What is needed to restore a service to business as usual? BCM supports schools in being more aware of the resources they need to deliver a minimum level of service and to recognise the point at which the service can no longer operate. This guidance and the SEMBCP will help schools: identify and analyse functions, determine those that are critical, identify the resources needed to recover services to an agreed minimum service level, return to business as usual. Identify and Analyse Functions The first part of BCM involves understanding the work of the school and identifying the key functions. It is then important to analyse each function to identify the Maximum Tolerable Period of Disruption (MTPD) and the resources and strategies needed to recover those services to an agreed minimum service level and eventually to full service. Any function with an MTPD of less than 7 days is automatically identified as CRITICAL. A critical function must take priority during the recovery process over all other functions. Definitions Critical Function: Functions which have to be performed in order to deliver the key services which enable the school to meet its most important welfare and business objectives and which would be adversely affected by a disruption lasting up to 7 days. MTPD: Maximum Tolerable Period of Disruption is how long a service can be interrupted and survive without delivery before it reaches the point where it cannot recover. So how long can the service operate without that function before the situation is no longer recoverable. Remember, a function that has an MTPD of 7 days or less is identified as critical. 8
RTO: Recovery Time Objective is the target time set for resumption of service delivery to a predetermined level of service. This point allows for alternative arrangements to be put in place. It should therefore be before the MTPD. Minimum Service Level: Pre-determined and temporary acceptable level of service delivery. Identify Critical Functions and Recovery Resources Complete the table on page 12 for each critical function that the school delivers. Please note: 2 examples have been completed in red. Resource requirements These are the essential resources needed to recover this critical function to a minimum service level. Staff Think about numbers per pupil and the skills and knowledge needed. Data/Systems Think about the databases and systems needed. Will paper based systems be sufficient for a few days? Premises Think about where this function can take place? Does it have to take place in a classroom within the school? Equipment What essential equipment is needed? Furniture, computers, tables and chairs etc? 3 rd Party Dependencies What other 3 rd party organisations/teams/staff do you depend upon? E.g. catering contractors? Strategies for Continuity of Services Complete the details needed to implement pre-identified strategies. These strategies/tactics are needed to obtain the resources previously identified to recover a critical function to a minimum level. 9
Include practical information under further information such as: Loss of Staff Contact details of agency staff A staff matrix of skills and knowledge Website links for virtual learning Contact details of a buddy school Loss of technology/data/power Details of EIS (if appropriate) for back up systems Location of paper based systems Contact details of utility suppliers Loss of premises or utilities Contact details of alternative premises (libraries etc) and details of preagreed arrangements with other schools/organisations. Loss of key suppliers, third parties or partners Contact details for pre-identified alternative suppliers. Details of the insurance policy. Recovery and Resumption Actions This is an overview of suggested actions to implement after the incident has occurred. These steps will help schools identify what they need to do to return to business as usual. It is recommended that you consult with your Governing Body and Area Education Officer about your action plan for recovery (point 1). Appendices Appendix 1. Sample Log Sheet All actions need to be logged throughout an emergency and this can be used as proof when saying what you did and why. It is also a useful tool when sharing information and during briefings. Appendix 2. Site Information Include details of the key locations of utilities onsite and any particularly hazardous sites (include maps if necessary). Pre-identify areas that could be used for staff and media briefings (if available). These areas should be small/quiet as they may also be used for Police statements/interviews. Please speak to your Area Education Officer (who will liaise with KCC Press Office) about any media advice. 10
Appendix 3. Evacuation The decision to fully evacuate should be a last resort. Consider sheltering or invacuation e.g. to a safe place within the building or to an alternative location on site. Advice and assistance should be sought from the emergency services and/or AEO or Duty Emergency Planning Officer, although the decision ultimately lies with the Headteacher. When evacuating a building the nature of the threat must be taken into account. For example, if there is danger of explosion the evacuation site must be sufficiently far away to ensure that everyone is out of range of flying debris. An exploding propane (or other pressurised gas) tank can cause extensive damage for several hundred metres. The risk may not come from within the school. It may come from a neighbouring industrial or residential site. When choosing suitable sites for evacuation the risk potential of neighbouring sites should be taken into consideration. For example; if there is a fire in a nearby garage or factory which uses explosive or flammable chemicals, the school will need to be evacuated to ensure that pupils are not put in danger by shrapnel. Get out, Stay Out, Call the Fire Service: this is a simple strategy for fire safety (for more information see the Direct.gov website Page 12). Go In, Stay In, Tune In: If you are not involved in the incident, but are close by or believe you may be in danger, you should: go inside and stay away from doors and windows stay inside for as long as it is safe to do so tune in to your local radio, TV and internet news channels - local emergency responders (eg police and fire services) will use these to give you information There may be times when you should not 'go in', for example if there is a fire, or the emergency services tell you not to see Get out, Stay Out. Call the Fire Service. School Closure If a school is evacuated it will need to close. The decision to close a school due to an emergency must be made by the Headteacher but advice can be sought from the Area Education Officer. If your school needs to close due to an emergency, that closure can be published on www.kentclosures.co.uk. Please ensure you ve registered in advance with the site and created a password that will be needed when logging your closure 11
online. Use this section of Appendix 3 to detail the email address and password needed to log into www.kentclosures.co.uk and post a school closure. For more details about registering and how to use the site please see the Winter Planning Guidance for Kent schools that can be downloaded via the emergency planning pages on Kent Trust Web (see page 12). Appendix 4. Rest Centre Is your school a designated rest centre? If not, we encourage you to consider your school becoming one. Being a rest centre will give the school an opportunity to provide shelter for members of the community that may be suffering from a major or minor emergency. Essentially, by being a designated rest centre the school could help save lives. A rest centre is set up to provide temporary accommodation for people who have been affected by an emergency, for example, flooding, a gas leak, fire or unexploded bomb and is intended to provide basic care for a short period while the incident is dealt with. KCC maintains a rest centre directory for the County and premises include secondary schools, leisure centres and village/community halls. If your school is a designated rest centre please include the key holder contact details in Appendix 4. For more information about being a rest centre (including a list of Q&As) please visit the emergency planning pages on Kent Trust Web (see page 12). 12
Useful Websites Kent Trust Web Kent County Council Emergency Planning Team Cabinet Office UK Resilience The Department for Education Emergency Planning The Department for Education Schools Financial Value Standard Kent Resilience Forum Health Protection Agency Directgov Directgov: Fire Safety Get Out, Stay Out Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College Developing Community Resilience Through Schools The Business Continuity Institute www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?schoolemergencies www.kent.gov.uk/community_and_living/community_s afety/preparing_for_emergencies.aspx www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ukresilience www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/eme rgencyplanning http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinanc e/financialmanagement/schools%20financial%20valu e%20standard/a00192114/schools-financial-valuestandard-sfvs www.kentprepared.org.uk www.hpa.org.uk www.direct.gov.uk www.direct.gov.uk/en/homeandcommunity/inyourho me/firesafety/dg_10030963 www.epcollege.com www.schoolemergencies.info www.thebci.org.uk This guidance and accompanying template have been developed by Linsey Torode (Emergency Planning Officer) in consultation with KCC Emergency Planning Team and Area Education Officers. Linsey Torode - ELS Emergency Planning Officer Kent County Council County Emergency Centre Invicta House Maidstone Kent ME14 1XX Tel: 01622 694991 Email: lindsey.torode@kent.gov.uk 13